FC Barcelona 9/5 to win 2016 Champions League after beating Arsenal

Barca firm favourites with the bookmakers after 2-0 victory at the Emirates Stadium

Can anyone stop Barcelona this season? The Catalan side effectively booked their place in the quarter final stage of the Champions League after a 2-0 win against an Arsenal side left to pay for a series of missed chances.

Some bookies take a dimmer view, with BetVictor making Luis Enrique’s team a 6/4 poke to claim victory in the San Siro final come May.

Coach Enrique liked plenty about his team’s performance against Arsenal, with Lionel Messi scoring twice to put the Gunners to the sword.

“I liked everything, the whole game. Nothing has upset me,” he told a post-match news conference. “The players have been at a spectacular level individually and I think we are the deserved winners.

“The result is great but I do not think it closes the tie. There will be time to close it with our people at home.

“In first half they defended with all their players behind the ball, but we were able to tire them out so that chances came.

“We defended very well, watching Ozil and his ability between the lines. We kept close to Giroud, Alexis and Walcott when he came on.

“We could open spaces and make chances. We also did very well stopping them from countering on us.

“We were very good, pressing in every moment, helping each other out. They created very little danger.”

Bayern Munich also enjoyed a positive result after drawing 2-2 at Juventus, although the Bavarian side did lead 2-0 before defensive mistakes allowed the Italian side back into the match.

Bet365 go 3/1 about Bayern claiming the Champions League crown in what is Pep Guardiola’s final season in charge of the Munich club, with Real Madrid available at 11/2 with Paddy Power and Los Merengues are also set for a last eight spot after winning 2-0 away at Roma.

PSG are an 11/1 shot with SkyBet although they have work to do at Stamford Bridge in order to progress from their last sixteen clash against Chelsea, while Atletico Madrid are available at 12/1 (bet365) to go one better than two seasons ago when they were narrowly edged out by Real.